1 Topic by burringtonrj

  • burringtonrj
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Topic: XYZ printing - multiple printers on one computer?

Hello~

I am a middle school teacher and I've got 3 daVinci printers. My students are learning 3d printing. I have a master "teacher" computer station. Although I have not really tried or researched it yet, but I want how to run multiple printers from one computer. Do I set up separate com ports?
Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks in advance,
Bob

2 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
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Re: XYZ printing - multiple printers on one computer?

You need three open usb ports or a powered usb hub. Each printer will be assigned a comport when plugged in. The issue you will run into is the software from XYZ only sees one port at a time. So you would have to connect one printer, add the file slice it and have it uplaoded. Once it starts printing you can close the software and connect the next printer and repeat the previous steps. Then do the same for the next. There is no software that can talk to all three printers at the same time.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

3 Reply by robertf (edited by robertf 2015-04-09 00:50:35)

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Re: XYZ printing - multiple printers on one computer?

I'm about to sound like an infomercial, but here it goes

I have 2 that I use on 1 PC.   A duo and a 1.0a.   

Switching between the 2 with XYZ was very clunky.  No matter what I did it would scan the USB ports and time out before accepting that it was going to another printer.  On top of that, I couldn't get the 1.0a to run slic3r g code so I was stuck using the xyz to post for at least half of the stuff I do.  That meant the PC would be tied up for 10 minutes before I could send a program to the other printer.   

I broke down and purchased Simply3D this morning and I wish I had done it before unboxing either of the printers. 

I am running 1.0.1 and 2.0J, no hacking of firmware or anything, thats how they shipped.  I can run 2 instances of simply3d on 1 PC, the slicer is great.  It is missing some of the infill algorithms that Slic3r has, but I'll trade that for the rest of the features.  I can send programs directly from simply 3d.  I can bring up a control panel and monitor bed and extruder temperatures.  It shows jog control, though I haven't tried it yet.

I know you could probably achieve the same stuff by going to the repier firmware, but I see lots of threads about limit switches and display panels not working.  I have a 100% out of the box printer that I have full control over.  I even got it to print PETG filament.

I know funding is probably tight for your department, but I now consider the simply3d software a must have if you are using a da vinci printer.    You will never have to use that awful XYZ software again and still retain any warranty.

4 Reply by boxcarmib

  • boxcarmib
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Re: XYZ printing - multiple printers on one computer?

Mac Version 1.2.4 & higher of XYZware has a chooser, which appears to be expressly for the purpose of selection an arbitrary number of attached printers. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like its a feature.